Paula M. Parker: Uncommon tools you can copy to succeed in business

Challenges, business owners face a lot of them. Just watch the news — scratch that, maybe not.

So, here’s a question: Do you know any business owner who seems to succeed in spite of challenges? As if by magic, they transform the energy of a negative situation into a positive one, no matter what?

As independent thinkers, they’re immune to the whir of insanity. On the chessboard of life, they are a mover, not a pawn.

What are these uncommon tools business owners use to succeed? And can you copy them? Of course. Let’s look.     

1.) Mental alchemy, transforming one thing to another, for the better, in business is a learnable skill. It starts with practicing control of your thoughts. And the basic idea, in Hermetic philosophy, is to shift the locus of control from the outside world — over which you have zero control — to the inner world, your thoughts — over which you have full control.

Should you repress your thoughts? No. Recognize them, and if necessary, change your mind to invite, not restrict, progress. Why? Genius solutions emerge when you’re calm and open, not when you’re fearful or angry.

Instead of allowing the reptilian brain to hijack thoughts that track to a nightmarish outcome, a mental alchemist makes a conscious choice about “what” to think under any circumstance. It’s important for this reason: The thoughts you think set a trajectory that determines the outcome. Runaway fear fuels fear. Peaceful resolve gives you access to a dimension where solutions live.

“Be a master of the mind, not mastered by the mind.” — Zen Proverb. 

2.) Framing the future to your advantage, because the mental alchemist knows unexpected things can happen, in a good way. I’ll explain. But first, who do you know that is emphatically certain about this? They know something about the future, and it’s always bad.

Arguing is useless. Simply ask: “If you can predict with certainty what will happen three weeks or three years from now, then predict six winning lottery numbers and call me.”

After the side eye, say this: “In each second of each minute, hour, day, week, month and year, there are an infinite number of possibilities that can alter the outcome of any plan, mission or initiative, you just never know.”

Thinking like this frames the future to your advantage. It opens you to possibilities, synchronicities and opportunities. All this, in ways a mere mortal couldn’t possibly predict. You may not know how things will work out, but you can always trust that they will.    

Is this the whole story? Hardly. Working with business owners, teaching the uncommon principles of mental alchemy is what I do. Owners learn to apply these principles to their businesses, daily, to succeed, despite the challenges. Join us. Because there’s always room for a mover on the chessboard.

Ashland resident Paula M. Parker is an owner’s adviser preparing businesses to prosper. Contact her at www.paulamparker.net.